Matt Quinn and Sam Cooper first met in high school in Philadelphia and later reconnected in Los Angeles in 2016. Their shared love for music led them to collaborate once again. They named the project after a mountain in Valley Forge National Park near their hometown. Their debut single, "Astrovan," gained rapid streaming success, attracting the attention of drummer Sotiris Eliopoulos and keyboardist Jackie Miclau.
The band made their debut in 2016 with the release of their single "Astrovan," which was recorded in Los Angeles by Quinn, Cooper, and Byrnes.
In 2017, Mt. Joy signed with Dualtone Records, further solidifying their presence in the music industry. This was followed by the release of three singles in 2017: "Sheep," "Cardinal," and "Silver Lining," with the latter reaching the number one spot on the Billboard Triple A charts.
Throughout 2017, the now five-piece band recorded additional tracks with producer Jon Gilbert at his home studio in Pasadena, California, and released their self-titled debut album, Mt. Joy, on March 2, 2018. The song "Silver Lining" went to #1 on the Billboard Triple A charts.
Following their initial success, Mt. Joy embarked on extensive touring, performing at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, and Lollapalooza, while also opening for notable bands like The Head and the Heart, The Shins, Whitney, and The Revivalists. They also headlined their own North American and European tours.
Unfortunately, their tour with The Lumineers was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Undeterred, Mt. Joy released their second studio album, "Rearrange Us," on June 5, 2020. The album was produced by Tucker Martine, known for his work with My Morning Jacket and Modest Mouse. The songs on "Rearrange Us" range from folk-stomps to psychedelic reflections and gospel elegies.
In April 2022, the band announced their third full-length album, Orange Blood, which was released on June 17, 2022. The album was recorded at Headroom Studios in Philadelphia. Four singles were released ahead of the album, "Lemon Tree", "Orange Blood," "Evergreen," and "Bathroom Light." Their headlining tour for the album started in June 2022 and runs through November 2022.
Bigfoot
Mt. Joy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They just follow commands
Put your right foot in
Leave your heart in your hand
And spin like the record
I was making for you
You promised us forever
Now I'm spinning alone, it's true
But Bigfoot is out there just knowing you don't care
About his life in solitude
He's dancing with the lonely, he'd choose you only
He'd rock from side to side
And your life will change straight out of the blue
The clouds in your mind, just passing through
Imagine the horses when you set 'em free, go
Tear down the beaches of Chincoteague
But Bigfoot is out there just knowing you don't care
About his life in solitude
He's dancing with the lonely he'd chose you only
He'd rock from side to side
Stay if you want to
Leave if you have to
I want to see him through the dark
Stay if you want to
Leave if you have to
I want to see him through the dark
What love is gonna change your mind?
What love is gonna change your mind?
And Bigfoot running through the end of time
What love is gonna change your mind?
The song "Bigfoot" by Mt. Joy touches upon themes of loneliness, heartbreak, and acceptance. The opening lyrics, "White kids don't dance, they just follow commands," feel like a commentary on societal norms surrounding dance and expression. The song mentions a promise of forever that was made but not kept, leaving the singer spinning and alone. However, Bigfoot is out there, dancing with the lonely and choosing only the person they care about. The contemplation of love and its power to change one's mind is also present in the chorus, "What love is gonna change your mind? And Bigfoot running through the end of time."
From these lyrics, it seems that the song speaks to the idea of finding solace in the acceptance of oneself and the things that make us different, contrasting the way society can pressure us to follow certain norms. Furthermore, the idea of Bigfoot as a figure who is comfortable in their own solitude and able to navigate the world with grace serves as a metaphor for finding peace in being different. Ultimately, the song seems to suggest that in order to find this peace, one must be willing to both stay and leave when necessary.
Line by Line Meaning
White kids don't dance
There is a belief that white kids do not dance.
They just follow commands
Instead of dancing with their own style, white kids just follow the instructions of others for dancing.
Put your right foot in
One of the instructions that white kids follow while dancing is to put their right foot in.
Leave your heart in your hand
During dancing, one tends to express themselves and hence it's important to put your heart out with your hand gestures.
And spin like the record
One popular move during dancing is to spin as if one is a spinning phonograph record.
I was making for you
The music being played is made for the enjoyment of the audience.
You promised us forever
There were promises made earlier that things would go on indefinitely.
Now I'm spinning alone, it's true
The artist is now dancing alone despite the promise of dancing forever with their partner.
But Bigfoot is out there just knowing you don't care
The creature known as Bigfoot exists and knows that the artist doesn't care about its existence or well-being.
About his life in solitude
Bigfoot is isolated and alone.
He's dancing with the lonely, he'd choose you only
Bigfoot is willing to dance with anyone and would choose the singer if given the chance.
He'd rock from side to side
Bigfoot dances by swaying from side to side.
And your life will change straight out of the blue
A sudden unexpected event will change the singer's life.
The clouds in your mind, just passing through
The singer is no longer clouded by negative thoughts and emotions and they are just passing through.
Imagine the horses when you set 'em free, go
Imagining the happiness a horse feels after they were freed follows the sudden change event.
Tear down the beaches of Chincoteague
The artist wants to tear down the beaches of Chincoteague, a place of fond memories.
Stay if you want to
The artist wants someone to stay with them.
Leave if you have to
If the person has to leave, the singer is willing to let them go.
I want to see him through the dark
The singer wants to observe Bigfoot even in the dark.
What love is gonna change your mind?
The artist is wondering if any kind of love will influence the decision of the person they want to stay with them.
And Bigfoot running through the end of time
Bigfoot will continue to exist and run even through the end of time.
What love is gonna change your mind?
The artist repeats their previous question, wondering if any kind of love will change the person's decision to stay or leave.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: James Samuel Cooper, Matthew Ryan Quinn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kunjal Panchal
White kids don't dance
They just follow commands
Put your right foot in
Leave your heart in your hand
And spin like the record
I was making for you
You promised us forever
Now I'm spinning alone, it's true
[Chorus]
But Bigfoot is out there just knowing you don't care
About his life in solitude
He's dancing with the lonely, he'd choose you only
He'd rock from side to side
[Verse 2]
And your life will change straight out of the blue
The clouds in your mind, just passing through
Imagine the horses when you set 'em free, go
Tear down the beaches of Chincoteague
[Chorus]
But Bigfoot is out there just knowing you don't care
About his life in solitude
He's dancing with the lonely he'd chose you only
He'd rock from side to side
[Interlude]
Stay if you want to
Leave if you have to
I want to see him through the dark
Stay if you want to
Leave if you have to
I want to see him through the dark
What love is gonna change your mind?
What love is gonna change your mind?
And Bigfoot running through the end of time
What love is gonna change your mind?
Kunjal Panchal
White kids don't dance
They just follow commands
Put your right foot in
Leave your heart in your hand
And spin like the record
I was making for you
You promised us forever
Now I'm spinning alone, it's true
[Chorus]
But Bigfoot is out there just knowing you don't care
About his life in solitude
He's dancing with the lonely, he'd choose you only
He'd rock from side to side
[Verse 2]
And your life will change straight out of the blue
The clouds in your mind, just passing through
Imagine the horses when you set 'em free, go
Tear down the beaches of Chincoteague
[Chorus]
But Bigfoot is out there just knowing you don't care
About his life in solitude
He's dancing with the lonely he'd chose you only
He'd rock from side to side
[Interlude]
Stay if you want to
Leave if you have to
I want to see him through the dark
Stay if you want to
Leave if you have to
I want to see him through the dark
What love is gonna change your mind?
What love is gonna change your mind?
And Bigfoot running through the end of time
What love is gonna change your mind?
Monet Webster
I love everything about this
jhitt79
I miss my Tabitha.
radcow
Me to 💪
Shane Crawford
I came here hoping the music video would answer my questions on what this song was about but after watching it im even more confused
Bryan Giles
Especially the ending lol
Tace Gamble
You and me both
kenji55151
Wow this is great! I love it
The Endless
seeing these guys with RKS on the 11th and i soooooo cant wait, the first time i saw rainbow kitten surprise i was in alot of pain from standing with my bad knee and back but even though i was almost falling down i just leaned up against a wall and kept grooving cause they were so worth the pain lol
The Endless
Side note the concert was amazing, just mind blowingly awesome lol